UK’s top judge harshly criticizes government austerity measures
The top judge in the United Kingdom has condemned a series of government austerity measures that have been in place since the Conservatives Party rose to power in 2010, saying they have made the poor poorer and left the legal system grappling with new problems.
Brenda Hale, who serves as the president of UK’s Supreme Court, said Wednesday that it was right for many to believe that the government was pursuing wrong policies in its welfare programs, saying cuts to social care budget had left many, including women, children and the disables, worse off, according to The Independent.
“The UK government’s austerity policies have undoubtedly made this worse and have posed some uncomfortable problems for the courts,” said Hale while speaking in a conference in the Isle of Man, adding, “... we should not forget that other families are fighting for enough to live on and to make ends meet.”
Hale’s remarks could come as a shock to the government of Prime Minister Theresa May as it is quite rare for judicial officials in Britain to comment on political issues.
The comments come amid widespread calls on May to abandon her flagship social care policy, known as the Universal Credit. May has defended the program, which seeks to replace a series of old benefits with a monthly payment, saying it would encourage many who only live on benefits to go to work and earn an income.
However, experts believe the system would negatively impact the lower classes of the society in Britain at a time when the country is experiencing record levels of poverty and homelessness.
The United Nations said in a report in November last year that the UK government austerity measures had left many in destitution. The report, which came after two weeks of investigation by a senior UN official, confirmed that more than a fifth of the UK population, around 14 million people, currently live in poverty.
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